Highlights and Happenings: February 2018

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Highlights

Connecticut's Legislative Session Kicks Off

Connecticut's legislative session kicked off in February, and CCE is hard at work in Hartford. CCE's Lou Burch testified in support of some of our priority legislation, including supporting the Governor's proposal to expand the Bottle Bill, permanently banning fracking waste in CT, prohibiting automatic pesticide misting on residential properties, and enhancing the Sewage Right-to-Know Law.

Oil and Water Don't Mix

In February, CCE joined NYS Assembly leaders, civic groups, and environmental advocates from across Long Island to oppose the expansion of offshore oil drilling and protect New York's ocean coast. NYS Assembly members Englebright, Pellegrino, and D'Urso held a public hearing attended by hundreds of residents opposing offshore drilling and pushing for renewable energy over fossil fuels. We're proud of the broad, bipartisan opposition to offshore drilling that exists, and we must all continue to tell the Trump administration and Secretary Ryan Zinke that oil and water do not mix! If you missed the hearing, you can check out the press conference and hear what our elected and environmental leaders are saying. Plus, check out our "Man on the Street" interviews with Long Islanders to find out why the public opposes offshore drilling.

Happenings

Advocating for a Fully-Funded Environmental Protection Fund in Albany

CCE joined environmental advocates from across the state to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and fight for a $300 million EPF in this year's budget. For the last two years, the EPF has received a historic $300 million, which has helped preserve parks and open spaces, reduce polluted runoff, protect drinking water, and much more. Governor Cuomo has once again included $300 million for the EPF in his budget proposal; now we continue to advocate for the Senate and Assembly to do the same. CCE's Bill Cooke spoke at the start of the EPF lobby day as one of the advocates who fought for the creation of the EPF in 1993 and continues to do so to this day!

Long Island to NYC: Don't Steal Our Water

CCE is keeping up the fight to protect Long Island's drinking water and prevent NYC from tapping into aquifers in Queens. Last month, we stood with Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Senator Elaine Phillips, Senator Todd Kaminsky, Assemblyman Tony D'Urso, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judy Bosworth, Nassau legislators, and local advocates to send a strong bipartisan message in support of protecting Long Island's water. We must wait for the science before issuing any permits allowing NYC to tap into Long Island's only drinking water source.

Fighting for Connecticut's Clean Energy Future

CCE is hard at work pushing for Connecticut to embrace renewable energy and move away from polluting technologies of the past. We hosted a Clean Energy Forum in Branford, where we discussed priorities for the 2018 legislative session, including shared community solar, energy efficiency, and expanding clean energy access to underserved communities. We also held a workshop on the environmental impacts of nuclear power at the Climate Justice Teach-In in West Hartford. Thanks to all who came out and joined us for some great discussions.

Expanding Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal to Rural Communities

CCE sits on the advisory committee for a newly-launched pilot project led by the Product Stewardship Institute and NYS Product Stewardship Council that is providing free pharmaceutical disposal at five hospitals that serve rural communities in Upstate NY. Rural communities are often underserved by pharmaceutical take-back programs. The hospitals include Basset Medical Center in Cooperstown, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, Gouverneur Hospital in Gouverneur, O'Connor Hospital in Delhi, and Rochester General Hospital in Rochester. CCE is also working to enact NYS legislation that would implement a manufacturer-funded, statewide safe pharmaceutical disposal program. Take action in support of this important legislation to protect our water from pharmaceutical pollution today!

Preventing Plastic Pollution in the Hudson Valley

February was a great month in the fight against plastic pollution globally, with Dunkin' Donuts announcing the phase-out of Styrofoam™ cups. Locally, CCE testified in favor of BYOBag legislation placing a 5-cent fee on plastic and paper bags in the Town of Warwick. In January, we testified in favor of Pleasantville's proposed ban on plastic bags and have continued working with municipalities throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley to move forward with laws that curb single-use bag consumption. The BYOBag movement is clearly growing, and we look forward to seeing less plastic in our parks and beaches.

Long Island's Largest Water Reuse Project Just Announced

CCE joined SUEZ Water Long Island, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, and Operation Splash for the announcement of the largest water reuse project on Long Island! Nassau County and SUEZ will treat and reuse effluent from the Cedar Creek Sewage treatment plant for plant operations, saving one million gallons of water per day. This innovative water recycling project will preserve Nassau's drinking water resources and serve as a model for water reuse on Long Island.

A Discussion with Senator LaValle

Every year, CCE joins federal, state, and local elected officials at NY Senator Ken LaValle's environmental roundtable to discuss the most pressing environmental and public health issues facing Long Island. This year, we spoke about the need for a manufacturer-funded pharmaceutical take-back program, our support for the Food Reuse and Recycling Act, and much-needed funding to test Long Island's drinking water for emerging contaminants.